"Just make sure he is not already married."

"French manicure and pedicure please," I said with a wide smile.

The salon lady: "But ma'am you always put colourful nailpolish."

"Not this time. This time I'm doing things differently..." I said with an even wider smile.

I was looking forward to my date on Sunday. A date I never thought would happen, not now, not in a million years! We met five/six years ago in a psychology class - he was older. We'd have the occasional greetings and that would be it. Not until recently that we had the guts to take the conversation further. We would talk for couple of days - take a break- then speak again. But our conversations never really went very far from the usual casual ones between two strangers. 

He was the first crush I had after the huge break up I went through, so you can imagine how big of a deal it was for me to open up to someone, this fast. He said all the right words. He had the right manners. He wasn't like all other dates I went with the past year. He wasn't stingy, he didn't ask if I would consider having six abs and he didn't ask me to live in a studio, quit my job and raise his children (yup, been there). Anyways, his boldness was so refreshing. He seemed like he knew what he wanted and said and did the appropriate thing; he asked me out right away. I said yes.

Having a strong relationship with momzy, I told her that I am talking with an old "friend" and that he is extremely "sweet" and "different". She laughed knowing that there was more to it. She then put down the dishes and said as she giggled: "Just make sure he is not already married." So of course, I denied that there was anything happening - cos there wasn't. And so I went to the salon on Friday to do the "necessary".

Friday, just two days before our date, he remembered to share a very important point with me. I was all anxious wanting to know what was wrong - I say wrong because his tone was extremely serious, unlike the usual. I received the message from him and immediately told the salon lady that I have changed my mind. I no longer wanted french manicure and pedicure, I wanted gold. gold nail polish. Oh, and the message said that he really likes me. But it also said -wait for it- that he is E-N-G-A-G-E-D. Yup, engaged. 

I know I know...another experience...another lesson learnt. So, what did I learn other than knowing that mama is a psychic? I learnt that I will always be a sucker for romance. I will always say yes if I feel like I want to. I will never settle. I will never wait. And ok fine, I won't believe a man when he says he is not engaged - because this time, I actually asked and only got the true answer right before my date.

M.C.